Author: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Source: Streams in the Desert

"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil. 4:11)

Paul, denied of every comfort, wrote the above words in his dungeon.

A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning, and found everything withered and dying. He asked the oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found it was sick of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine was all out of heart because it could not bear grapes, like the vine. The vine was going to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac; and so on all through the garden.

Coming to a heart’s-ease, he found its bright face lifted as cheery as ever. "Well, heart’s-ease, I’m glad, amidst all this discouragement, to find one brave little flower. You do not seem to be the least disheartened." "No, I am not of much account, but I thought that if you wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one; but as I knew you wanted a heart’s-ease, I am determined to be the best little heart’s-ease that I can."

"Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God’s heritage
Can do it so well as you."

They who are God’s without reserve, are in every state content; for they will only what He wills, and desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do; they strip themselves of everything, and in this nakedness find all things restored an hundredfold.

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This simple story is both profound and truthful in shedding light on the simple secret of contentment - Don’t compare yourself with the people around you but just be the best that you can be - the person that God has created you to be…Each have skills and abilities that are not alike anyone else.

Be happy with who you are and what you have, and you will find contentment has settled in your heart.

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Little Point of Interest:
Who knew? There are many beautiful Roman remains in Tunisia. During the times of Christ, Tunisia was apparently Rome’s most valuable overseas territory. This amphitheater located in El Djem is a more beautiful & complete than the Colosseum in Rome. It could accommodate 30,000 people! Tunisia’s on my must-visit-someday list.

http://akuse.com/Blog/2005/10/